o far I have worked in Life in the Dead Zone project for about 3 months. I went to total 3 cruises including a one-week long cruise (LDZ4) and two one-day boat (LDZ5 & 6). Most of data are analyzed with DIC analyzer and membrane inlet mass spectrometer. Unfortunately, I had badly cut my finger and lost some skin due to broken glass vial but I am glad my wound is not so bad.
Classes are also begun from the last week: Environmental Geo Chem I and Oil spill seminar this 2010 fall semester. It is going to be fun, difficult, but most importantly very useful for my study.
Today, I have finally made two important plot: Scanfish plot of LDZ4 and DIC flux from sediment of LDZ 4.
 |
| LDZ4 Scanfish (oxygen, salinity, temperature, fluorescence) |
In the figure above, most importantly, dead zone (no oxygen) was clearly observed below about 10 m in the mesohaline (middle) of Chesapeake Bay. Then, was there any living organisms which can produce energy by performing respiration without oxygen?
 |
| Dissolved inorganic carbon measurement |
Not many studies have measured DIC in the dead zone. The figure above clearly shows that there are heterotrophic and/or chemoautotrophic bacteria using other electron acceptors other than oxygen alone. Now, I am very excited to show people that there are lives in the dead zone!
No comments:
Post a Comment